June 24 - Laughing Spell

Day 175 of a year of KindnessI was standing in line at the post office. The woman in front of me looked to be in her mid-70s. I said hello. We stood and waited silently for a few minutes.

Suddenly, she turned to me and said, “I read a beautiful poem about aging. Would you like to hear it?”

I told her that I would love to hear it.

“I forgot it,” she said with a huge smile.

That joke really made me laugh. It was so unexpected. She had more. I laughed at all of her jokes. My next stop was to the grocery store so I thought I would share the poem joke as I checked out. The cashier (who was a little older) laughed out loud - the kind of laugh where you throw your head back. 

Later, I tried it on my 87-year-old mother and she had a good laugh.I never thought about a joke being an act of kindness but it is something positive that you put in the world, and it makes people laugh. We need more joke tellers in the post office and more laughter in our world.

Science of kindness: Research shows that making someone laugh produces the three main chemicals that make laughter the best medicine: oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins. Also, maintaining a sense of humor during tough times can help you cope by taking your mind off difficult situations and finding joy in the absurd. #bekind #kindnessiscontagious #kindnessisfree #kindness #laughteristhebestmedicine